Format and content of early-modern printed books

Early-modern books come in standard formats and to some extent it is possible to tell the content of the book from its size, although there are exceptions. In this step, we will go over the main book formats and the type of content they were typically used for.

The figures below represent the basic sizes of traditional Japanese books introduced in this step.

1. Ōhon (large books, 20 x 27 cm)

Format:

The size of a sheet of Mino washi (Mino paper, 39x 27 cm), folded in two. Books larger than ōhon are known as toku-ōhon (extra-large books).

Content:

Mostly the classics and scholarly subjects (Confucianism, Chinese studies, Buddhism, waka, poetics). Being the largest among the scholarly formats, it was used for books on subjects traditionally considered prestigious and authoritative.

2. Toku-ōhon (Extra-large books)

Format:

A general designation for books larger than ōhon.

Content:

Because their large size made them somewhat harder to read, toku-ōhon were mostly used for pictures and maps. They were typically produced by the presses of provincial daimyō, who viewed booksize as a symbol of power.

3. Hanshibon (half-size Books, 17 cm x 24 cm)

Format:

The size of a sheet of hanshi paper (33x24 cm) folded in two.

Content:

Introductory-level books on scholarly subjects such as Confucianism, Buddhism, Native Studies, and history. More generally oriented than the ōhon, they tend to focus on educational, illustrated, and haiku-related books.

6. Toku-kohon (Extra-small books)

Format:

Smaller in size than a kohon.

Content:

Because their small format made them impractical for regular use, they were mostly made as ornamental objects (e.g. waka and kanshi collections by bunjin and elite figures) or were used for books on quirkier, niche subjects.

8. Yokohon (“Wider-than-high” books)

Format:

Book of shorter than average height made by cutting into three (in some rare cases four) sections, instead of the usual two, the sheets of paper used to make toku-ōhon, ōhon, hanshibon, chūhon, and kohon books.

9. Masugata-bon (Square books)

Format:

Books of identical or almost identical width and height.

Content:

Few were published during the Edo period, so it is difficult to identify a single trend content-wise. In the age of manuscripts, this format was often used for beautifully decorated versions of court tales, waka collections, and Buddhist works, and its associations with these genres remained strong in the Edo period.

Summary

As this summary shows, in the early-modern period book format and content were closely related. With the exception of the oversized books and the so-called “miniature books” (mame-hon), which were not for regular use, and the comparatively rare masugata-bon, book sizes reflected the social prestige of the content (from high to low). So it can be said that in Edo-period Japan, not only society but also books were divided by class.